Orange Confidential: Non-party spending in 18th District ranks in US top 10

Sunday

Nov 4, 2012 at 2:00 AM

Outside groups supporting either Rep. Nan Hayworth or her Democratic opponent, Sean Patrick Maloney, had poured more than $5.2 million into a blizzard of commercials and mailings for the competitive race as of Friday, with only days to go before the election.

Outside groups supporting either Rep. Nan Hayworth or her Democratic opponent, Sean Patrick Maloney, had poured more than $5.2 million into a blizzard of commercials and mailings for the competitive race as of Friday, with only days to go before the election.

The National Republican Campaign Committee and the Democrats' House Majority PAC were the two biggest spenders, each kicking in more than $1 million.

Other sugar daddies were Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, which had spent about $700,000 on Hayworth's behalf; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which spent $380,000 promoting Hayworth; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which ponied up $357,000 for Maloney ads.

The $4.2 million total spent by groups other than the two parties' campaign committees in New York's 18th Congressional District race is particularly striking.

That figure ranked eighth highest for non-party outside spending out of all 435 House elections nationwide, according to campaign figures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

What accounts for the ad blitz?

Democrats, in their quest to regain their lost House majority, have targeted Hayworth's seat and other competitive districts in New York, and Republicans and their allies are matching those bets — and then some — to protect GOP candidates.

Hayworth led Maloney by 2-to-1 in outside spending: groups had invested about $3.5 million on her behalf and almost $1.8 million for Maloney.

Chris McKenna

A single Orange County Legislature seat is at stake Tuesday: a contest between Republican R.J. Smith and Democrat Roseanne Sullivan to serve the final year of a four-year term representing much of the towns of Crawford and Wallkill.

The race has been shaped by the heated battles over the Government Center and county nursing home that have divided lawmakers for more than a year.

Sullivan has strongly opposed County Executive Ed Diana's push to replace the Government Center and sell the Valley View Center for Nursing Care and Rehabilitation, while Smith has cast himself as a pragmatist, open to solutions that would bridge the partisan divide.

Smith, appointed in February to replace Republican Dan Depew after Depew was elected Wallkill supervisor, has raised and spent far more on his campaign than Sullivan.

As of Oct. 22, he had raised about $43,000, including $5,000 of his own money, and spent more than $19,000. That left him with about $24,000 for the campaign's final two weeks, according to reports filed with the state Board of Elections.

Sullivan, by contrast, had raised about $11,000 and spent $8,000, leaving her with $3,000 in her coffers.

A victory by Smith would leave the 21-member Legislature at 12 Republicans, eight Democrats and one Independence Party member. A victory by Sullivan would narrow the Republican advantage to 11-9.

Chris McKenna

The New Street-Greenwich Avenue neighborhood in Goshen appeared to be spared a repeat of last year's floodwaters that rose from the Rio Grande to swamp businesses and cellars.

The wood floors of one business that flooded last year were dusty dry on Tuesday morning.

Rooms visible from the sidewalk were empty, and two handwritten signs were on the window: "For Sale: Oceanfront property in Goshen, N.Y." and "Gone Swimming."

The owner said she cleared out the storefront on Thursday and Friday in preparation for the storm.

James Walsh

Orange County has waived fees for disposal of storm debris at its transfer stations through Nov. 10, county officials announced.

All three stations — in Newburgh, Goshen and Port Jervis — will accept metal refuse at no charge, while only the Goshen site will accept wood debris at no charge.

Fees for disposal of household waste have not been waived.

Wood products, such as trees, branches, pallets and unadulterated lumber, also may be brought to Wessels' Farms at 94 Bull Road in Otisville for no charge.

For more information, call Peter S. Hammond, the deputy public works commissioner, 291-2640.